The city of Lake Forest Park, Washington on Monday night took a giant step backwards in protecting the rights of people with disabilities, the sick and the dying.

The War On Drugs, especially cannabis, has ruined the lives of countless individuals, all in the name of public safety.

In an unprecedented move in this state, Lake Forest Park has passed a permanent moratorium on patients who form a collective garden, a right that was written into our state laws back in 2011.

The lack of compassion was especially disturbing when the council feigned concern over patients having access to their medications by claiming their Google search revealed at least eight dispensaries outside of the city.

I can’t afford storefront prices! It is vastly less expensive to grow your own, especially with the help of a few other patients. I told the city council this back in January, but they didn’t want to listen.

Instead of trying to understand the patient’s perspective, this council instead took the word of Police Chief Stephen Sutton. His reasoning was not based on any real harm to the community. It was based on statistics that are claimed to show that guns and violence are an everyday side effect from operating a patient-run collective.

In 2012, there were “nearly 100 Seattle area incidents or calls for service to marijuana ‘grow’ locations, including robberies, assaults, other violent and non-violent crimes.”

This stat is meaningless for our purposes as it clearly does not distinguish medical cannabis vs. the illicit black market. Of those 100, how many actually did involve violence as compared to just getting a phone call by a nosy neighbor who thinks there may be a crime being committed? We don’t know and the stats don’t tell us.

They also make the claim that “statewide, there were an estimated 65 illegally possessed weapons seized from these grow operations.”

What they failed to mention was the fact that ANY gun possessed in association with marijuana is an illegally possesed gun, even if the gun was legally purchased by the owner. The simple fact that marijuana is nearby puts it into this category. So again, another meaningless statistic that has nothing to do with medical cannabis.

Never mind the fact that a collective garden is by law an association of people, not a garden site. Restricting any association of people is a violation of our Freedom of Association and Assembly as guaranteed by the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights.

So now, even a small collective of no more than two people taking care of their own needs at home risk arrest and prosecution, even though they are in full compliance with state laws.

The biggest slap in the face comes from the fact that patients in Lake Forest Park are seen as nothing more than a problem, even a threat to the community to the point where medical access is denied to favor recreational I-502 stores.

Police Chief C. Stephen Suttoncompiled a report with statistics blended to make it appear that medical cannabis is somehow a threat to the city

The Police Chief’s testimony included a lengthy report entitled, “Marijuana Situation Report for 2012” In it, there is NO difference made between the illicit black market trade and medical cannabis collectives. All are considered criminal and all statistics are blended to make it appear that medical cannabis is somehow a threat to our city, even though the medical cannabis laws have been in place since 1998.

There was no comparison made for theft and violence at businesses that sell booze or any other at risk business. There were no statistics about crimes — only at medical collectives.

The people of Lake Forest Park should be aware of the fact that the Lake Forest Park Police Department is under contract to enforce federal law over Washington state laws. How? Through the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) grant program. They are clearly a vested party — because if there are no cannabis laws, there are no grants for police to fight cannabis “crimes.”

Stop letting the police dictate the rules for medical patients! They are not doctors! They are only trying to further their own agenda though emergency police powers.

I urge every citizen in this city to join me at the next public hearing and every one after to let this city government know that it is time to end prohibition on the sick and dying who choose cannabis.

Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to produce a great article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and never manage to get anything done.

Arunigrace

Yep. You are absolutely right. Unfortunately no one wants to listen and the dispensaries will not unite to fight against them.

I’d go one step further and get rid of everyone in Washington city and state offices. They no longer respect or honor the legally-initiated voting mandates of the taxpayers who pay their salaries and thus have breached their duties of office.

Michael L. Wallace Jr.

it is the federal police agenda. it will never stop until you VOTE THEM OUT & REPLACE them with a new Police all together.

Dan

Mr.Sutton? You should be ashamed of yourself.The only thing you are protecting is your budget.You should be more concerned about the deaths that alcohol causes but you won’t because you like alcohol don’t you? You are forcing your opinion on everybody and that is SELF SERVING not public service. Been awhile since I have seen REAL public service.You, my friend,are not Washington’s King.You were elected to serve the people. You are not a Dr. or a counselor or a drug expert. You are a small town sheriff with a big opinion and/or ego. Quit being a puppet and see it for what it really is. Your just playing the part the chemical, petroleum and pharmaceutical companies want you to. They have programmed all of you and hid the truth of it all from you. Try doing some real police work and research how the prohibition on marijuana started and more importantly WHY. Maybe all those donuts over the years has turned your brain into dough. Quit abusing your power to sway things your way. That’s how corruption starts. What’s next? Telling your City Council that nobody but the police should have guns? Very small minded and a bit cowardous.In the way that if that was so you would never have to REALLY worry about putting your life on the line anymore. Is that what you are saying? Do you need your job to be easier?

Arunigrace

They are morons. They could have rebuilt their entire community and put everyone back to work with mmj money. Everyone in that town could have paid off all of their bills and been financially stable with home grows.

Stay tuned and watch the news because you’re going to see a LOT more meth-related murders, drunk driving deaths, oxy overdoses and burglaries in Lake Forest Park by Christmas.
They’ve also just opened the doors to the real criminals. If they think it’s “bad” now just wait until the MS-13 starts dealing in their neighborhoods.

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